Description
This Quick & Easy Honey Sesame Chicken recipe delivers a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors with a crispy fried chicken coating. Ready in just 30 minutes, it features tender chicken thighs coated in cornstarch, fried to a golden crisp, and tossed in a luscious honey sesame sauce garnished with green onions and sesame seeds. Ideal for a fast weeknight dinner that's both satisfying and flavorful.
Ingredients
Chicken and Coating
- 1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (or potato starch for coating chicken)
Sauce
- ½ cup honey (plain liquid kind)
- 2.5 tbsp regular soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tbsp white granulated sugar (or cane sugar)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (or potato starch)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 tsp Shaoxing Cooking Wine (or dry sherry wine, dry white wine or chicken broth for non-alcoholic version)
- 2 tsp rice vinegar (or apple cider/white vinegar)
- ¾ cup water (room temperature)
For Frying and Garnish
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)
- 1/2 green onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, cornstarch, minced garlic, Shaoxing cooking wine, rice vinegar, and water. Set the sauce mixture aside to be used later.
- Prep the Chicken: Dice the chicken thighs into roughly 1.5-inch pieces. Place the diced chicken into a large bowl and season evenly with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- Coat the Chicken: Add 1/4 cup cornstarch to the bowl with the chicken pieces. Toss thoroughly to coat each piece evenly with the starch. Add a little more cornstarch if needed to ensure all chicken pieces are coated. Set aside.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until hot. Fry the coated chicken in small batches, frying each batch for about 6-8 minutes total. Turn pieces halfway through frying to get an even golden brown and crispy crust. Remove the cooked chicken pieces and drain them on a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil.
- Cook the Sauce: Pour out any excess oil from the pan, leaving just a little. Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the pan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Toss Chicken in Sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces back into the pan with the thickened sauce. Toss gently to coat all the chicken evenly with the honey sesame glaze.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the pan from heat. Sprinkle the finely chopped green onions and sesame seeds evenly over the coated chicken. Serve immediately and enjoy the balanced sweet, savory, and nutty flavors of this quick honey sesame chicken.
Notes
- You can substitute potato starch for cornstarch if preferred for coating or sauce thickening.
- Shaoxing cooking wine adds authentic flavor but can be replaced with dry sherry, dry white wine, or chicken broth for non-alcoholic versions.
- Frying in batches ensures the chicken stays crispy and cooks evenly.
- If you want a less sweet sauce, reduce the honey slightly to taste.
- Serve with steamed rice or stir-fried vegetables for a complete meal.
